Pregnancy: Our dogs are examined by a licensed vet prior to breeding and at least once during their pregnancy. This ensures the female is in top shape to carry and care for her puppies.
Whelping: The puppies are born in our living room and continue to live as part of our family until they become a part of yours. Each puppy is hand delivered, examined, weighed, photographed and recorded. We normally use colored ribbons to identify each puppy unless each puppy has unique markings.
Puppy Care: For the first three weeks, their mama will provide nearly everything needed by the puppies. During this time, we ensure that they have a clean bed, are receiving necessary nutrition, and are lovingly cuddled several times each day. Between three and four weeks old, they will begin escaping from the whelping box and the fun begins. At this point we begin kennel training, put down the puppy rug, and fill the puppy pen with toys. Our puppy pen is a fenced gravel area located just outside of the back door and separated from the area where the "big dogs" play. The gravel allows for easy cleanup and sanitation.
Weening: We begin weening when the puppies are able to lap water from Mama's bowl, usually in week 4. It begins with a goat's milk mixture poured over ground kibble, gradually increasing the size and amount of kibble and reducing the amount of milk until they are on solid kibble at around 6 weeks. They are always allowed contact with Mama, although as they reach 6 weeks, we will separate them until the puppies have had their kibble meal.
Grooming: Anyone who has ever tried to bathe a 100+ pound dog who is not fond of water will appreciate the importance of an early introduction to grooming. At birth, we begin a daily routine of handling the feet of each puppy and a weekly nail trim helps to familiarize them with the process. Bathing becomes necessary during the weening phase as the pups don't seem to be able to eat unless they are sitting, laying, or standing in the foodbowl. Sticky puppies can really do a number on the carpet...lol We use a sink and sprayer to clean each puppy at least daily, although we do not use shampoo unless necessary. Normally a gentle spray of water followed by a brisk rubbing with a wash cloth and a warm fluffy towel will remove all traces of their meal. The daily baths serve two purposes. Obviously to clean the puppies, but also to familiarize them to the process of bathing, making it routine.
Schedule: All of our litters are placed on a schedule ensuring they do the same thing at the same time every day. I have found this to be a very important part of our program, as it not only helps to maintain my sanity, but also assists in house-breaking, kennel training, even in making the transition to their new homes. The transfer is less traumatic to a puppy who's life continues on in the same manner that it did before. They are calmer and more content when they know what to expect.
Kennel (Crate) Training: In much the same manner that you wouldn't leave a toddler unattended, a puppy should never be allowed free roam of the house. We begin kennel training at approximately 4 weeks old and conduct it following playtime when the puppies are naturally sleepy. It is difficult at first for the puppies to be separated, so there are several stages to the kennel training. Training is started on the buddy system with the puppies being split into three kennels (or less if a small litter). Gradually over the next several weeks, they are separated into smaller groups until they each have their own space. We usually locate the kennels right inside the back door leading to the puppy pen so that they have easy access to the pen when they awaken.
Temperament Testing: This is the key to our puppy program and what makes us different from many other breeders. As you will find on other pages of our site, matching the right puppy with the right family is the most important thing we do. All of our puppies are wonderful embassadors of the breed; however, as each child is different in more than appearance, so is each puppy. There is no question that environment and how these puppies are raised plays a huge role in their behavior as adults. It is also vital to look at the personality traits that have been bred into them. These traits, while not fully developed, are typically revealed during the temperament testing of puppies. The testing is conducted using the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test by someone unknown to the puppies in an unfamiliar area. Their reaction to each of the tests is like looking through a window into the future of each dog to see how they might react in different situations.
We also evaluate each family with a questionnaire. Although the questions may seem reduntant and unimportant, the answers give us a window into your typical life. The answers you provide allow us to evaluate which puppy would fit the most easily into your lifestyle. We will typically make two recommendations for each family. The puppy that best suites their lifestyle and the puppy that best suites their lifestyle and is the color/sex they desire. The American Bulldog comes with many colors and markings making it easy to find a color combination that appeals to a particular family. When matching the puppy and family, I take into consideration the wishes of the family in this regard. I will; however, make sure that you are aware of any drawbacks to bringing the second choice dog into your family.
Training: American Bulldogs are ready and able to learn from a very early age. We take full advantage of that by beginning their basic commands at every opportunity. These basic commands consist of "sit", "stay", "down", and "come". I am not saying that your puppy will come to your home fully obedience trained, but they will have a basic understanding of those commands. As the puppies are in our home, we also begin housebreaking at a very young age. Typically, by the time your puppy leaves our home, they are going to the door. That is not to say that they are waiting for me to open it, but they, once again, have the general idea. Depending on the size of the litter, we will do some leash work to familiarize them to having restrictions on their movements.
Much of a puppy's early education is obtained from their mama and siblings. For this reason, our puppies spend a large amount of time every day with each other and their mama. We do not separate the mother from her puppies other than during kennel training time and before meals.
Socializing: Socializing is VITAL with the American Bulldog. It is more than just introducing your puppy to new people and other animals, but also to new situations. It is so important to make them familiar and accepting with the normal so that they are able to detect the abnormal. We recommend that your puppy be introduced to 100 new things every week until they are at least 16 weeks of age, if not older. At approximately 6 weeks of age we begin these introductions with a list of things to expose the puppies to. People and other animals are an important part of the list, but it also includes sounds, locations, foods, and many other items. The sound of motorcycles and car horns, large trucks, the vacuum, people in hats, wheelchairs, young people, old people, babies, toddlers, tall men, and bicycles are just a few. We also introduce them to fruit and vegetables in moderation and NEVER from our plate. Apples and Bananas are usually favorites, cut into small pieces and used as treats. We'll go to the town square, the pet store, fairs and festivals (if available), parks with children playing, anywhere that we can ensure a positive enjoyable experience for the puppies. We play special games during thunderstorms and go for walks in the rain or snow.
Health: The puppies are dewormed at two weeks and then every other week until they are 8 weeks. They are examined by a certified vet at 6 weeks when they receive their shots and microchips, as well as a general health check. They receive another general health check at 8 weeks when we include a stool check for intestinal parasites. These may be common in puppies but are easier for us to treat than to pass on to their new families. Your puppy is guaranteed to arrive healthy.
